In a case that Pope Francis says he 's taken an interest in after speaking to one of the alleged victims , a Spanish judge on Wednesday filed preliminary charges of sexual abuse against three Catholic priests and a religious teacher .

Investigating magistrate Antonio Moreno , in the southern city of Granada , ordered the suspected ringleader , a priest , to post a $ 12,500 bond in order to leave jail , according to a court statement and spokeswoman . The suspect posted the bond , and Moreno released the others from custody without bond , the statement said .

The four must report regularly to authorities and ca n't have any contact or communication with two alleged male victims , the court statement said .

The judge 's decision came two days after the four were arrested , and just a day after Pope Francis told reporters that he called an alleged victim in August and urged him to come forward to authorities in Spain .

`` The truth is the truth , and we must not hide it , '' Pope Francis said aboard the papal plane , CNN Vatican contributor John Allen reported in a story for the Boston Globe .

The Pope confirmed that he received a letter from a young man describing his plight .

`` I received it and I read it , '' Pope Francis said of the letter . `` I called the person and said , ` Tomorrow go to your bishop . ' I wrote to the bishop so he could start his work , do the investigation and go ahead , '' the Pope said , Allen reported for the Globe .

Spanish media have credited the young man 's letter to the Vatican -- alleging the abuse when he was a teenaged altar boy -- and then the surprise phone call from the Pope as big steps toward preventing the events from remaining a dark secret .

Attorney Javier Muriel , representing all four defendants , told CNN that they deny the charges , while acknowledging they know the man who brought the complaint .

The court investigation is under seal , and since it began , a second man has come forward to allege similar abuses .

The Andalusia regional government 's education department in Granada is moving to terminate the contract for the high school religion teacher who 's facing the preliminary charges . He 's been teaching for seven years , up until Friday , but authorities do not want him back in the classroom , a department spokeswoman told CNN .

On Sunday , the Archbishop of Granada and other clerics took the unusual step of prostrating themselves in the cathedral during Mass , `` asking forgiveness for the sins of Church , for all of the scandals that have , or might have , occurred among us , '' the Granada Archdiocese website reported .

The archbishop usually does that once a year , on Good Friday , but he lay on the floor of the cathedral Sunday because of the seriousness of the allegations , a Granada Archdiocese spokeswoman said . The archbishop earlier had removed an unspecified number of priests from their duties pending an investigation , she said .

The arrests of three priests in a single day over sexual abuse allegations is the biggest case of its kind in Spain , said a spokesman in Madrid for the Spanish church leadership , known as the Episcopal Conference .

Since 1997 , 10 priests have been convicted of sexual abuse , in individual cases , most recently in 2010 , the spokesman said .

The Pope has called for `` zero tolerance '' of sexual abuse by clerics and has said Catholic bishops `` will be held accountable '' for failing to protect children from such abuse .

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Judge files preliminary charges of sexual abuse against three priests , one religious teacher

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Magistrate orders suspected ringleader to post $ 12,500 bond , court statement says

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Pope Francis is weighing in : `` The truth is the truth , and we must not hide it ''

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An attorney representing all four defendants tells CNN that they deny the charges